Biden administration still wants to ban menthol cigarettes, official says

The Food and Drug Administration's top tobacco official said Monday that the Biden administration is still pursuing its proposal to ban menthol flavored cigarettes, months after advocacy groups accused the White House of quashing the rule because of the looming election.

"I just want to start and reinforce that FDA has not abandoned the menthol product standard," Brian King, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, told a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing this week.

King was responding to a question from Rep. Robin Kelly, who had voiced frustration with the Biden administration after the Department of Health and Human Services announced it had delayed the ban citing "immense" feedback.